"What does Romanian democracy mean?" asks a young IT specialist, Petre Tudor. "Communism fell more than 20 years ago, but our life is no better. Politicians are only interested in feathering their nest. We won't leave the street till we have obtained agreement on early elections."

Pensioners, students disillusioned by an education system that leads nowhere, nurses exasperated by the lack of resources: all have gathered to voice their protest. "We can't take any more," says nurse Adriana Vintila. "Four million Romanians have left to work abroad because they can no longer survive in their home country. I don't want to leave; it's the government that should go."

This anger has attracted media attention, quickly spreading all over the country. Some 30 towns have rallied to the cause. Last week the demonstrations degenerated with clashes between police and masked youths.

President Traian Basescu, who won a second five-year term in 2009, has become the focus of discontent. Slogans include "Death to the dictator Basescu", "Clear out, you dirty dog", "Down with the mafiosi" and "Basescu can seriously damage your health".

"Romania's indignado movement is a civic response to the political question: Can one govern against the will of the people?" says political scientist Cristian Pirvulescu. "The regime tried to ignore events in order to minimise their impact, but this political blindness has only sapped public confidence in the government."

The authorities borrowed €20bn ($26bn) from the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank and the European Union in 2009. The government had to introduce austerity measures leading to drastic redundancies, a 25% cut in public-sector wages and an increase in VAT from 19% to 24%.

The final straw was the way Basescu dealt with Raed Arafat. A Palestinian-born doctor, he first came to Romania aged 16 to study medicine and won popularity for his part in setting up a proper emergency service in hospitals. He was appointed secretary of state at the health ministry in 2007, but opposed plans to reform the health service involving partial privatisation.

Earlier this month Basescu accused Arafat of holding "leftist views" and stirring up opposition to the healthcare bill, prompting Arafat to resign. After demonstrations Basescu shelved the health reforms and offered to reinstate Arafat at the ministry, a proposal to which Arafat agreed last week.

But the anger continues. "We won't leave the streets till we have brought down President Basescu," says Remus Cernea, a young demonstrator on University Square.